The 1st-generation M3 was mainly a racing car tamed for road use. Offered in the U.S. from 1988 through 1991, it was based on the E30 3 Series and was a winged, spoilered coupe powered by a BMW M 4-cylinder engine of 2.3 liters and 192 hp. That was a full-on BMW M engine, with 4 valves per cylinder at a time when no regular-production BMW had more than 2; honed cylinders; an individual throttle for each cylinder; and other racing-style engineering finery. Hotter versions were offered over time, both road- and race-going. The E30 M3 certainly wasn’t for everyone; but it was a hearty and competent sporting machine, and even today it has a devoted following.
The 2nd-generation M3 is known better. Based on the E36 3 Series and making its debut as a 1995 model, it had a mission beyond the usual BMW M dedication to great performance and handling: it had to bring BMW M and its wonderful driving machines to a wider spectrum of buyers in the U.S.
That was accomplished by powering the M3 not with a traditional, highly elaborate BMW M engine, but with a specially developed version of what was then standard BMW practice: an inline 6-cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts, 4 valves per cylinder and a single throttle. Taking this approach, BMW M created an engine of 183 cui (vs. the standard 325i models’ 152 cui) and a solid 240 horsepower. That strategy proved to be perfect: within the range of speeds American drivers experienced, this engine provided thrilling performance, yet cost a lot less to produce. The rest of the car was very much the same that European buyers could have.
In 1996 M3’s engine the engine grew to 195 cui and delivered more torque. In both forms, it was loved by America’s enthusiasts and critics alike. This 2nd-generation E36 M3 was offered until 1999; a convertible and a 4-door sedan joined the original coupe model along the way, extending the M3 range.
The 3rd-generation M3,launched in 2000, was one of the most highly anticipated BMW models ever. Designed on the basis of the E46-3 Series, the new M3 was a significant advance over its famous predecessors, which proved that BMW M can combine stunning performance and road manners with true everyday practicality and utility. At $46,045 including destination charge, the year 2000 M3 coupe has moved upscale from its predecessor, primarily via a brand-new, race-bred engine delivering almost 100 horsepower more than its predecessor.
Yet heightened performance was only one of the M3’s attractions. Drawing upon the best qualities of the previous M3 and the present 3 Series, it achieved a new level of road capability. New exterior design, new developments in seating, and features never before available in an M3 completed a constellation of as never seen before.
